Curve crossing for street-railroads



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

A. J. MOXHAM.

CURVE CROSSING FOR STREET RAILROADS. No. 366,497. Patented July 12, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. J. MOXHAM.

CURVE CROSSING FOR STREET RAILROADS.

,497. Patented July 12, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OF JOHNSTO\VN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CURVE CROSSING FOR STREET-RAI LROADS.

EJPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,497, dated July 12,1887.

To all 1071 0772, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MoXHAM, of Johnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Curve Crossings for Street-Railroads, which invention or iniprovernent is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a curve crossing which shall be capable of adjustment to a proper radius of curve in the course of laying down in track.

The invention consists of the parts as hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show in side elevation and plan, respectively, a curve crossing constructed according to this invention, consisting of two rails one a side bearing girder-rail, the other a girder guard-railconnected together as hereinafter described. Fig. 3 shows in side elevation the shape of the splice-bars used 011 one side of the crossing to connect the webs of the rails shown in the preceding figures. Fig. 4 shows in perspective the side bearing-rail of Figs. 1 and 2 detached and cut preparatory to being fitted to its guardrail, also shown in perspective in Fig. 5 and cut ready to receive it. Fig. 6 shows in plan the splice-bar shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 7 and 8 show in side elevation and plan, respectively, my curve crossing constructed of one center-bearing girder-rail and one girder guard-rail, connected together in substantially the same manner as the rails shown in Figs. 1 and 2. tion the shape of the splice-bars used on one side of the crossing to connect the webs of the rails shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 shows in plan the splice-bar shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 shows in perspective the center bearing-rail of Figs. 7 and 8 detached and cut preparatory to being fitted to its guard-rail, also shown inperspective in Fig. 12, and cut ready to receive it.

In said figures the several parts are indicated by letters, as detailed in the following description.

In said figures it will be observed that each rail is a througl1-rail-that is, it is checked into its fellow rail, neither rail being completely severed. In each case, also, the guard- Fig. 9 shows in side eleva-' rail is curved, the other rail being straight. It is essential that such straight rail should be run through the curve rail at a true and accurate angle. This angle in street-railways is constantly required to be varied, and greatly varied, owing to the short radii of curves demanded in narrow streets; hence this care in setting the straight rail true to the proper angle is essentially necessary.

In this invention provision is made for the adjustment or truing up of the two rails to exactly the angle required, should any slight irregularity of angle exist after fitting the rails together. This is accomplished by reason of the flexibility given to the structure, due to the absence of chocks, the splice-bars and spacingrods uscdsupplying the necessary elasticity of adjustment for the purpose.

The letter A in the several figures indicates the curve guard rail, common to both the forms of straight rails used.

B indicates the straight rail of side-hearing shape and J the straight rail of center-bearing shape.

0 indicates the respective spacingrods used to bind the rails together, in connection with the respective'splice-bars D, used, as shown, on one side, in Figs. 1 and 7 in side elevation, and on the other side indicated in plan by dotted lines H H in Figs. 2 and 8.

E indicates the angle of the bend or offset given to the splice-bars D, to fit them to the respective rails, as clearly indicated in plan in Figs. 2 and 8.

F shows the shape of the check or cut planed through either straight rail B or J, and G the upper cut planed through either guard or curve rail A, through which the flanges of the car-wheels pass, f indicating the lower check or cut through the same rails, and showing the section of the lower flange or foot of the rail so out.

It can now be readily seen, the rails and theirv splice-bars and spacing-rods being all put together, how thewhole can be bound to gether into a firln though sufficiently elastic and adjustable structure, for the nuts on the ends of the spacingrods C 0, set on each side of the webs of the rails, afford easy means of adjusting the curve by the adjusting of the nuts themselves, as the setting up of said nuts on said rods can not only spring the curve rail, but also the ends a and d of the splicebars D on each side of the angle E of each bar, and thus firmly set and lock the whole structure to the desiredcurve with great accuracy.

Having thus fully described my said improvement in curve crossings as of my invention, I claim- 1. A curve crossing for street-railroads, consisting of straight plain girder'rails, curved girder guard-rails, and adjustable spacing-rods in the angles formed by the crossing of the rails, whereby said rails are adjusted to and held in the desired curve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a curve crossing for street-railroads, an offset flexible splice-bar bent to the angle of the rails for forming a flexible connection tothe curve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a curve crossing for street railroads, the combination of offset flexible splice-bars and adjustable spacing-rods for adjusting the rails to a curve of proper radius, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ARTHUR J. MOXHAM.

Witnesses: I i

P. R. VooRHEEs, FRANCIS P. REILLY. 

